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A six-RBI night from 42-year-old designated hitter Nelson Cruz propelled the San Diego Padres to a 10-2 pounding of hosts Atlanta Braves on Sunday night. Cruz, who has found the fountain of youth with the Padres, went 3-for-4 with his half-dozen RBI, two runs scored, a double and a home run in the contest.
The resounding victory secured the series win in an early-season battle against the two World Series contenders, as San Diego took three of four games in Atlanta.
With the three wins, the Padres improved to 6-4 on the season. They enter Monday in a first-place tie with the upstart Arizona Diamondbacks atop the National League West after Arizona took three of four games against the traditional NL West overlord Los Angeles Dodgers.
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The Padres came close to sweeping the Braves, having led the series opener last Thursday 6-4 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning before Atlanta rallied to win 7-6. However, that loss only appeared to put a charge in San Diego that they used to shock Atlanta over the next three contests.
One ecstatic fan said:
"Served up some humble pie to Braves fans"
Here are some of the other reactions:
What's next for San Diego Padres?
The San Diego Padres have a fearsome lineup on paper, and after a slightly slow start, the hitters are beginning to heat up. Newly acquired shortstop Xander Bogaerts is hitting .324 out of the leadoff position after scoring two runs on Sunday.
The bad news for opposing pitchers is: Juan Soto and Jake Cronenworth have yet to find their batting stroke. Not to mention that every game that passes is one closer to the expected return of Fernando Tatis Jr. from suspension on April 20. Tatis is currently warming up for his comeback by playing for Triple-A El Paso.
Cruz's monster night lifted his batting average to .370 on the season. Second baseman Ha-Seong Kim also lit up the scoreboard with a 3-for-4 game, knocking in three runs and scoring once. Manny Machado also went 3-for-5 with two runs scored.
Cruz, who owns a 42.5 career WAR, signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Padres as he looks to close out his career on a winner. He's second on the list of active career MLB home run leaders with 461 through Sunday's game. At his current pace, he could challenge the 500 home run plateau, which may entice him to play in 2024 at the age of 43.
Next up for the San Diego Padres is a trip to Citi Field for a three-game series against another expected World Series contender: the New York Mets. The Mets enter the series at 5-5 overall after taking two of three games from the Miami Marlins over the weekend.
